It looks like Julia Gillard is edging away from a decision on Euthanasia. She will allow a conscience vote, but claims to be " conflicted " on the subject. That could be an excuse for deliberately refraining from passing the necessary legislation to bring relief to the terminally ill.
If parliament votes in favour, but the government declines to frame the supporting legislation - the matter will lapse. It seems that gutless political parties on both sides of parliament are terrified of the backlash from the churches and have run away from the obvious way of settling this matter - put it to a referendum !
Poll after opinion poll shows that the great majority of Australians approve of the right to die for those with a terminal illness. Opponents claim that nobody need suffer because medical science can control pain. Honest members of the medical profession disagree - and admit that the pain of terminal cancer is beyond the ability of drugs to control.
The excuse that appropriate legislation might be too hard to frame is a cop out ! Euthanasia is a fact in Belgium, Holland and Switzerland - and in three of the American states.
Time to front up and make the hard decisions ! Time to bite the bullet !
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